


Staging is Everything

by giggling_bubble



Series: Dribbledy, Drabbledy, Gobbledy, Gook [6]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akuma Attack, Angry Alya Césaire, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Oblivious Adrien Agreste, Revelations, Scheming, Sleep, Surprises, escalated quickly, nino tells adrien, shocked marinette dupain-cheng
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-07 03:55:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11050800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giggling_bubble/pseuds/giggling_bubble
Summary: ONE SHOT:One day is all it took for Marinette and Adrien's separate lives to collide.When Ladybug is attacked by an akuma what is a Chat to do? Pretend they're together and hope she doesn't kill him, that's what.





	Staging is Everything

"Yeah, she's been crushing HARD on you, dude, for like forever," Nino exclaimed. The clueless look on Adrien's face left him guffawing, "You're hopeless man!"

Adrien just blinked at Nino. No. No way. Marinette didn't like him. She avoided him like the plague. Sure, she was nice enough, but she didn't ever act like they were anything more than friends. He'd always thought she was kind of cute.

"No," he finally mumbled, completely out of it.

"You want to bet?" Nino asked. He held his hand out to Adrien who couldn't even move. He was frozen with the shock of his surprise at finding out Marinette, the girl who sat behind him for the past three years, had a huge crush on him. It just didn't make any sense. They were friends. "ALYA!" Nino whistled at his girlfriend across the courtyard.

Alya excused herself from Marinette. When she approached Nino she glanced over at Adrien with a snort, "What did you do to him?"

"I told him your girl has been crushing on him for years."

"NINO!!" Alya hit him in the arm, hard.

"Oowww! You don't have to hit me."

"She told me that in confidence and I told you not to tell anyone--especially not him."

Nino smirked, "See, dude, told ya."

"Ninoooo," she grumbled and ran her hand over her face, "We'll discuss this later." She stormed off towards Marinette and waved off her concerns with large gesticulations.

"So, man, you heard it from the source herself. You don't think she'd lie to her best friend, do you?"

Adrien shook his head to clear it, "No, I guess not. It's just...Marinette. I never would have thought--"

"It's not like you'd give her the time of day anyway, bro. Everyone knows you don't date because you're saving yourself for your dream gal," Nino waggled his eyebrows at him.

Adrien pushed his shoulder, Nino swaying momentarily, and huffed, "You wish. She doesn't even know I exist."

"I don't see how that's even possible," Nino shook his head, "Have you seen your face, dude? It's like all over Paris and shit. She definitely knows you exist."

Adrien growled, "Let's get to class."

* * *

Half an hour later, Adrien found himself transformed into his alter ego Chat Noir. He was standing next to Ladybug fighting this particularly nasty akuma. It had venomous barbs that it shot at people making them lose consciousness instantly. So far, Chat and Ladybug hadn't seen anyone wake back up.

Chat dodged a round of barbs and pivoted to face his lady. "I'm feline a little flustered here, My Lady," he grinned. They were pressed close together in an alcove of a building.

"You're incorrigible," she sighed. "Do you know where the akuma is hiding?"

"No," he huffed, "I thought it might have been in that necklace he wears around his neck.

"Let's see if we can get it to test that theory." Right then, Ladybug stepped out from behind the alcove and called for her Lucky Charm. A large piece of metal fell in front of her feet. "What am I supposed to do with this?" Then she saw the spots light up. There were a couple signs she could wedge it between to create a makeshift wall shield. "Come on, Chat."

They huddled behind the shield as the akuma shot barbs at them. Ladybug could hear them pinging the shield with extra speed. They'd just made it to the spot where they were to hunker down when Ladybug gasped.

She pulled her hand back and Chat saw the barb sticking out of her hand.

"NO!" he shouted, "Ladybug." He just barely caught her before she collapsed. He grabbed her and the piece of metal before vaulting out of the fray. Chat had to find a place to take her and fast. There hadn't been any victims awakening and he had to find a way to get her to snap out of it. This was Ladybug and he couldn't do this without her.

Chat took her to an apartment his father used for entertaining colleagues and clients, "Please wake up," he whispered near her ear. She was so still and her breathing was slow. "Ladybug, I can't do this without you." Her earrings began to beep. "Well, shit."

Chat paced the floor, breathing rapidly though his nose. What was he supposed to do? There was Ladybug, about ready to drop transformation, and he'd have to find a way to explain it to her when she woke up. There wasn't anything he could do, was there? He had an idea.

He leaned down in front of her and his heart began to beat rapidly in his chest. He couldn't believe he was doing this, especially without her permission, as he placed his warm lips to her own. It worked in the movies. Chat leaned back, hopeful, but nothing happened. He sighed heavily and dropped his forehead to the bed. The kiss hadn't been what he'd hoped it would be, but it was one sided and he wanted Ladybug to reciprocate. It wasn't the same.

"I so want you to wake up." Her earrings beeped again. "Please, My Lady."

He heard some noise outside again. Chat jumped up to the roof to see what the commotion was. Some of the unconscious people on the street were regaining consciousness. It wasn't going to be fast enough. Her transformation would be up by the time she woke up. The akuma had disappeared.

Chat quickly hurried back down into the apartment just as her transformation disappeared and there lay Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Chat audibly gasped, "Marinette?!?!?" He frantically pulled his hair. This could NOT be happening. Sweet, quiet, had-a-huge-crush-on-him Marinette was his Lady. He was a mumbling, gibbering, mess as he crumpled to his knees on the floor in front of her. They were both idiots. Blind, bumbling idiots.

A sound surprised him. Then it happened again. It was a giddy exclamation and, through his haze, he realized he was giggling lightheartedly and unabashedly. He curled over himself and ran his hands through his hair. This girl! The unrestrained giggles were accompanied by a smirk. He couldn't believe his luck.

Once he'd regained his composure, he suddenly had a devious idea. Chat always knew Ladybug couldn't resist him behind the mask. Now he had proof! He just hoped the rest of his plan didn't give her a heart attack. Poor girl.

Marinette began to stir slightly. He had to move and fast! He turned the bed down, dropped his transformation, removed their shoes, and climbed into bed next to her. With a quick tug he pulled the sheet up over the top of them and draped an arm across her. He bit his lip and tried not to laugh. She was going to KILL him, but at least he'd die a happy man.

* * *

Marinette woke up groggy. She couldn't remember much of anything, really. There was a lot of gunk in her eyes so she reached up to rub them clear. Then she stretched her arms above her head. Suddenly, she stilled and her eyes shot open. There was a weight of something warm across her waist and she was in a place she didn't recognize. What the hell happened?!

She gasped as she looked down and saw a tan arm draped over her. "Jesus," she hissed and rolled over to face the warm body that was pressed against her. When her eyes fell on the sleeping face of Adrien Agreste her heart stopped. Momentarily, of course, before it sky rocketed and pounded out a staccato in her ears. "Uh..."

Adrien began to stir and grabbed a fistful of her shirt, "Nice of you to wake up," he nuzzled into her shoulder.

"A-A-Adrien? Um, I'm. How? Gah," she squeaked and pulled the pillow over her face.

He laughed at her, "Relax, Mari. We just took a nap."

"B-b-b-b-b-bu-but-bu-but..."

"Don't hurt yourself," he cooed and gently lifted the pillow off of her face. His green eyes stared into her blues and her face blushed a fiery red. "Do you want the whole story?"

She nodded.

"You're sure?"

She nodded again, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.

"Promise you won't be mad at me?"

Her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed in confusion, but she nodded.

"I'm going to hold you to it, bugaboo," he pointed at her before bopping her nose and saying, "Boop."

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers and she sat up to face him, "YOU!?!?!" She pointed back, "No...."

"Yes," he nodded, "Chat, extraordinaire, at your service!"

"Adrien."

"Yes."

"Is Chat." She felt like her head was going to explode. This boy, the one she woke up with, the boy of her dreams, was also her flirty partner Chat.

"Yes. And Marinette is Ladybug."

"How?" No way.

"You got hit with one of those barbs from the akuma. I panicked and brought you up here. Then your transformation dropped and I tried to think of a way to ease you into this reveal, but I kind of screwed that up," he looked away bashfully.

She began to giggle nervously and then it built into full blown laughter.

"It's not that funny," he smirked.

"I have to-to-laugh," she gasped, "Or I'd cry, I know I would."

"Can I hold you?" he asked tentatively. In all honesty, Adrien was about to have his own mental freak out. His adrenaline was pumping. He'd hoped to ease her into all this, but the way she was melting down he just used the band-aid approach. Right now, he was borderline panic attack and afraid he might have screwed everything up.

That stopped her laughter cold as she stared at him, mouth gaping. Then she scooted closer to him on the bed and snuggled into his torso; she wrapped her arms around him and let him wrap his around her.

"You're my best friend, you know," he sighed, his voice was full of emotion.

Marinette hummed, "Don't tell Alya, but you're mine, too."

"Really?" he pulled back to look at her and she blushed. He gazed on her with unbridled adoration.

"Of course you are!" she gawked. He had to be aware.

He nodded and squeezed her tighter, "You have no idea how happy that makes me." There was a pause, "Hey, Marinette, not that I want to purressure you or anything," she rolled her eyes, "But would you consider being my girlfriend?" He felt her still in his arms, "I mean, we could go on a couple dates first if you aren't sure, but I'm sure. I'll wait for you--"

"Yes," she exclaimed as if she were stating the obvious 'duh.'

It was his turn to blush, "You're amazing," he cooed reverently.

"Not as amazing as you, mon chaton."

"How about we go kick this akuma's butt and then rendezvous back here? Are you busy?"

"No, I'm free," she grinned.

"Then let's have our first date tonight," he grinned auspiciously, "We have a lot of catching up to do."

"I look forward to it," she shook her head, "I can't believe you're you."

He chuckled, "Same, bugaboo. You might believe I was the bastion of self-control and composure, as I often appear to be, but I literally lost it when I saw you lying there. No joke."

She smirked, "I didn't do much better."

He gently ran his fingers through her pigtails, "Just because I was there to witness your meltdown doesn't mean mine wasn't equally embarrassing."

They both chuckled at that before agreeing it was time to leave. Then they transformed and were out the window to chase down an akuma.

* * *

Adrien and Marinette walked to school together, hand in hand. They nearly broke Alya and Nino. Nathanael looked bummed as all get out. The shriek from Chloe and the glares from Lila proved that everyone got the message.

"Can't please them all," Adrien whispered into her ear.

"Definitely not," she reached up to touch his cheek and pulled him down to kiss him softly, "Let's just focus on pleasing each other."

There was an audible purr, a passionate kiss, and they were ready to take on the world.


End file.
